Current:Home > FinanceHow Packers can make the NFL playoffs: Scenarios, remaining schedule and more for Green Bay -Thrive Capital Insights
How Packers can make the NFL playoffs: Scenarios, remaining schedule and more for Green Bay
View
Date:2025-04-18 22:16:09
The Green Bay Packers have had a roller-coaster of a year, but with one game left in the regular season, there's still a path to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Titletown.
At 8-8, the Packers head into Week 18 in the No. 7 spot in the NFC standings, meaning right now, Green Bay is heading into the playoffs.
The path to a playoff spot in the final week of the season is simple: win and in. But even if the Packers are unable to pick up a victory to end the regular season, there's still a chance they make the playoffs, as long as some other teams also lose.
Here's what Green Bay needs to make the playoffs:
Packers playoff scenarios
The easiest path the Packers could create for themselves is to beat the Chicago Bears in the regular-season finale. Finishing at 9-8, the Packers would guarantee themselves a playoff spot and wouldn't have to worry about any other results.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
The Packers are currently the No. 7 seed in the standings, but they could become the sixth seed in the playoffs. Here's how:
- Packers win AND Rams lose
If the Packers lose or tie to the Bears, that's where things get tricky, as it'll involve results with the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the odds go down significantly with a tie, these are the paths Green Bay would need to still make the playoffs if it ties with Chicago:
- Packers tie AND Seahawks loss or tie AND Saints loss or tie OR
- Packers tie AND Seahawks loss AND Buccaneers loss OR
- Packers tie AND Seahawks tie AND Buccaneers loss or tie OR
Should Green Bay lose to Chicago, the result of the game won't matter as long as these results work in the Packers' favor:
- Vikings loss or tie AND Seahawks loss AND Buccaneers loss OR
- Vikings loss or tie AND Seahawks loss AND Saints loss
Packers remaining schedule
The Packers' final game is at home against NFC North rival Bears. Green Bay beat Chicago to open the season, although the Bears have gotten hot recently, winning four of their past five games.
Will the Packers make the playoffs?
Facing its greatest nemesis, Green Bay has a great shot to make the playoffs.
The Packers head into the matchup against the Bears as three-point favorites, according to BetMGM odds. Green Bay played one of its best games of the season in the Week 17 win over the Minnesota Vikings, and beat the Bears by 18 points in the regular-season opener. The New York Times playoff scenario simulator currently gives Green Bay a 68% chance of making the playoffs.
If Green Bay is unable to beat Chicago, it drastically changes the probability. Seattle is facing an Arizona Cardinals team that is coming off a big win, but already lost to the Seahawks earlier this season. Tampa Bay is also facing the NFL-worst Carolina Panthers, and New Orleans enters its matchup against the Atlanta Falcons winners of three of its past four games.
In short: As long as Green Bay is able to beat Chicago for the 10th consecutive time, all will be well in Wisconsin. No win, and it might be time to prep for the NFL draft.
veryGood! (61931)
Related
- Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
- Philippine military condemns Chinese coast guard’s use of water cannon on its boat in disputed sea
- Hop in the minivan: 'Summer Is for Cousins' invites you on a family vacation
- Johnny Manziel ready to put bow on 'Johnny Football' with in-depth Netflix documentary
- Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
- Cost of federal census recounts push growing towns to do it themselves
- Are you very agreeable? This personality trait may be why you make less money than your peers.
- Police search for 17-year-old California girl missing for a month
- Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
- Pope presides over solemn Way of the Cross prayer as Portugal government weighs in on LGBTQ+ protest
Ranking
- Jury selection set for Monday for ex-politician accused of killing Las Vegas investigative reporter
- Officials warn of high-risk windy conditions at Lake Mead after 2 recent drownings
- NASA restores contact with Voyager 2 spacecraft after mistake led to weeks of silence
- Vermont’s flood-wracked capital city ponders a rebuild with one eye on climate change
- Messi injury update: Ankle 'better every day' but Inter Miami star yet to play Leagues Cup
- Artificial intelligence is gaining state lawmakers’ attention, and they have a lot of questions
- Fargo challenges new North Dakota law, seeking to keep local ban on home gun sales
- Students have already begun landing internships for summer 2024
Recommendation
What polling shows about Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ new running mate
Jake Paul defeats Nate Diaz: Live updates, round-by-round fight analysis
Bumble and Bumble 2 for 1 Deal: Get Frizz-Free, Soft, Vibrant Hair for Only $34
187,000 jobs added in July as unemployment falls to 3.5%
How effective is the Hyundai, Kia anti-theft software? New study offers insights.
Poet Maggie Smith talks going viral and being confused with that OTHER Maggie Smith
Mark Zuckerberg Reveals He Eats 4,000 Calories Per Day
Parkland shooting reenacted using 139 live bullets as part of lawsuit